Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to automated cable management of connections in multiprocessor systems which cooperate with a multiplicity of I/O devices. More particularly, the invention is directed to management of backplane cable connections between multiprocessors and I/O units.
With the advent of multiprocessor systems wherein a plurality of microprocessors is grouped together in a cluster to perform complex tasks and to handle a significant volume of information as desired by a user, it is common to use a multiplicity of I/O units arranged in a desired configuration and connected to the multiprocessors as dictated by customer needs. It is common presently to have a multiplicity of processors connected in an array which may be symmetrical. Such configurations are called Symmetrical Multi-Processors (SMP). Invariably, there is a very large number or cables required to be connected between the I/O units and the microprocessor cluster. Also, there is usually need to add or swap connections while the microprocessors and I/O units are performing, or to repair/replace a connection which is live. Such handling of connections is referred to as hot-add, hot-swap, and hot-repair as terms in the art.
Adding/swapping or replacing connecting cables should be done in a fool-proof and reliable manner. To this end, receptacles which correspond to terminals where connecting cables need to be inserted should be identified, by means such as numbering or coding. With an increasing number of cable connections which invariably cross each other, the cables do tend to get tangled, which makes tracking and connection very difficult. Also, known methods of cable management configurations do not easily lend themselves to xe2x80x9chot-add, hot-swap and hot-repair.xe2x80x9d Moreover, known backplane cable connection configurations do not have any reliable system to check the accuracy and the integrity of backplane cable connections after the connections are made.
The present invention is directed to a backplane cable connection system between at least one processor and at least one I/O unit. This invention easily lends itself to xe2x80x9chot-add, hot-swap and hot-repairxe2x80x9d of backplane cable connections, without the need for skilled manual labor. The backplane cable connections are expediently so programmed using the invention that a programmed control unit prompts a technician or other semi-skilled person to complete each connection as required by the user""s needs. Each connection which is completed will cause an LED or other such visual means to light up. When each connection is made manually, a diagnostic circuitry which is part of the system verifies the correctness of each manual cable connection made, and the connection is verified as proper by turning off the LEDs (visual means) corresponding to the connection made. If a manual connection which is just made is either incorrect or broken, the diagnostic circuitry keeps the LEDs (or visual means) on/flashing, thereby indicating that corrective action is needed.
In the absence of the automated cable management of the present invention, it would be a formidable task to find out if a wrong cable connection exists or, if a connection already made is proper but broken.
The present invention provides an improved backplane cable connection configuration preferably in the form of an automated cable connection identification mechanism comprising: means for providing an identification of connection terminals on a processor/I/O box, to be connected to connection terminals on a processor or I/O box; each of the connection terminals having a visual means which can turn on or off to indicate a connection cable being manually inserted to establish a connection; a diagnostic circuitry to check if identified connection terminals are properly manually connected in accordance with customer requirements, said diagnostic circuitry having the capability of turning off the visual means relating to those connection cables which are properly connected as verified by the diagnostic circuitry, and ensuring that connection cables with faulty or broken connections will have their corresponding visual means on or blinking.
In another aspect, the invention provides an automated cable connection identification mechanism for a plurality of processors or I/O boxes to be electrically connected to one or more processors or I/O boxes, comprising:
means for providing an identification of connection terminals on each processor/I/O box,
an LED which can turn on/off at each said connection terminal;
a programmed computer to prompt manual connection of connection terminals as required by a user by means of predetermined connection cables, each said manual connection causing the corresponding LED to light up; and
a diagnostic and control circuitry to verify correctness of the manual connection made, and to cause each lit LED to turn off if a corresponding manual connection made is correct, and to retain each lit LED in an on/blinking condition if a corresponding manual connection made is incorrect/broken.
A dedicated console PC may be provided to house the diagnostic and control circuitry, with the capability of being programmed suitably depending on customer needs.
Advantageously, the system of the present invention can be provided with sufficient nonvolatile memory capability either in the microprocessor or the I/O units or both, to remember correct backplane connections after they are made so that any dedicated programmed console PC if used, may be dispensed with after the proper backplane connections are initially made.
An algorithm is expediently used in a preferred embodiment of the present invention to figure out how to use the shortest length of each connecting cable to interconnect a processor with an I/O box or another processor as the case may be, taking into consideration the physical location of the processors and I/O boxes.
In a preferred embodiment, backplane cable connections between a processor or an I/O box are made through a software Ethernet which might comprise a LAN.